The Brainy Moms

Ever wonder how the college your teen is considering will continue to shape their faith? Or if questioning their faith is a natural part of going to college? Deconstruction is not just “asking questions.” Sometimes it's what happens when we judge biblical faith with a measuring stick that never came from the Bible in the first place. That single shift can quietly move a teen from honest curiosity to a full-blown crisis of confidence, especially once they hit the college years and are surrounded by new definitions of truth, love, identity, and belonging.

On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy talk and laugh with returning guest Dr. Renton Rathbun, pastor, longtime college professor, and host of The Renton Rathbun Show, to break down the difference between examining your faith and deconstruction through the lens of logic, worldview, and critical thinking. He explains how the campus challenge usually is not open hostility, but a calmer strategy: build trust, introduce a “neutral” standard, then use that standard to imply the Bible cannot be taken seriously. We talk about why that lands so effectively, why kids often cannot explain the doubt to parents, and how cultural incentives reward outrage over clarity.

Then we get practical for Christian parenting. We discuss teaching teens to analyze ideas (Bloom’s taxonomy), ask “who says?” when claims feel self-evident, and defend Christianity without becoming harsh or performative. We also share concrete college guidance: do not assume a Christian college equals Christian formation, assess maturity honestly, and help your teen treat the local church as home while college is a tool.
Production note: We had to edit this episode down because we spent so much time chatting and laughing in between serious topics. If the transitions are a little abrupt at times, that's why...it happens when friends try to catch up AND record a show at the same time. We appreciate the grace!

Subscribe for more conversations on raising thoughtful kids, share this with a parent of a high schooler, and leave a review so more families can find the show.
ABOUT US:
The Brainy Moms is a parenting podcast hosted by cognitive psychologist Dr. Amy Moore and Sandy Zamalis. Dr. Amy and Sandy have conversations with experts in parenting, child development, education, homeschooling, psychology, mental health, and neuroscience. Listeners leave with tips and advice for helping parents and kids thrive. If you love us, add us to your playlist and follow us on social media! 
CONNECT WITH US:
Website: www.TheBrainyMoms.com
Email: BrainyMoms@gmail.com
Social Media: @TheBrainyMoms
Subscribe to our free monthly newsletter
Visit our sponsor's website: www.LearningRx.com

Enjoying our conversations about play? Let's talk about playful homeschooling, sensory play, and screens. Last week, early childhood educator Gennie Gorback helped us understand why child-led, open-ended play is so important for children’s learning, development, and joy. Today, we’re continuing that conversation with her co-author, Kate Allen Fox, who brings a homeschooling-family perspective and plenty of practical ideas for putting those principles into action at home. 
In Part 2 of our conversation about their book Go Play: How Parents Can Empower Kids to Build Their Own Worlds, co-author and homeschooling parent Kate Allen Fox explores what it can look like to prioritize play in real family life. For homeschooling parents especially, the pressure to choose the “right” curriculum, cover every subject, and make every moment educational can be overwhelming. Kate offers a refreshing reminder: play is not separate from learning—it is often the foundation for it.
Kate shares her own journey from feeling unsure how to engage and regulate her high-energy children to discovering the power of simple, open-ended play experiences. We discuss sensory play, nature play, messy creativity, big multi-day building projects, and practical strategies for making room for children’s interests without needing expensive toys or Pinterest-perfect setups. You’ll hear why a bin-within-a-bin, a cafeteria tray, cardboard boxes, sticks, water, and pantry basics may be all you need to get started.
We also have an honest, judgment-free conversation about screens. Kate encourages parents to consider the role screen time plays in their particular family, distinguish between active and passive use, and make intentional choices that support both children’s needs and parents’ well-being. Whether you homeschool, use another educational model, or simply want more joy and connection at home, this episode will help you notice what your child’s play may be telling you.
If you want practical homeschool support, playful learning ideas, and a calmer home rhythm, press play. Subscribe, share this with a homeschool friend, and leave a review so more parents can find the show.
ABOUT US:
The Brainy Moms is a parenting podcast hosted by cognitive psychologist Dr. Amy Moore and Sandy Zamalis. Dr. Amy and Sandy have conversations with experts in parenting, child development, education, homeschooling, psychology, mental health, and neuroscience. Listeners leave with tips and advice for helping parents and kids thrive. If you love us, add us to your playlist and follow us on social media! 
CONNECT WITH US:
Website: www.TheBrainyMoms.com
Email: BrainyMoms@gmail.com
Social Media: @TheBrainyMoms
Subscribe to our free monthly newsletter
Visit our sponsor's website: www.LearningRx.com

What if “play” is actually some of your child’s most important experiences?  In Part 1 of our two-part conversation with the co-authors of Go Play: How Parents Can Empower Kids to Build Their Own Worlds, educator Gennie Gorback helps parents see play through a new lens: not as wasted time or something adults need to direct, but as a powerful, child-led path to learning, connection, confidence, and discovery.
Gennie explains what makes play truly play, why children benefit from time with peers of different ages, and how parents can support development without feeling pressured to entertain their kids all day. We talk about the difference between joining a child’s play and making space for it, the value of boredom and open-ended materials, how to honor a child’s individual interests, and why a child deeply absorbed in Legos, water play, drawing, building, or movement may be developing far more than we realize.
You’ll also hear practical ideas for building a more playful home culture—from “invitations to play” to protecting unstructured time—and compassionate guidance for navigating after-school activities, sibling play, organized sports, and the many parenting “shoulds” that can make play feel like one more thing to manage
If you want some fresh parenting tips grounded in play-based learning and real-world routines, press play. And listen to Part 2 next week with Gennie's co-author Kate Allen Fox! 
Subscribe, share this with a parent who needs less guilt and more clarity, and leave a review so more families can find the show.
ABOUT US:
The Brainy Moms is a parenting podcast hosted by cognitive psychologist Dr. Amy Moore and Sandy Zamalis. Dr. Amy and Sandy have conversations with experts in parenting, child development, education, homeschooling, psychology, mental health, and neuroscience. Listeners leave with tips and advice for helping parents and kids thrive. If you love us, add us to your playlist and follow us on social media! 
CONNECT WITH US:
Website: www.TheBrainyMoms.com
Email: BrainyMoms@gmail.com
Social Media: @TheBrainyMoms
Subscribe to our free monthly newsletter
Visit our sponsor's website: www.LearningRx.com

What if all your homeschooling chaos needs is a new calm and confident mindset? Being a homeschooling mom can feel like a daily referendum on your parenting, especially when you are teaching multiple kids, supporting neurodivergent needs, and trying to keep the family from melting down at the dining room table. We wanted to offer something more useful than a new planner or a better curriculum: a way to lead your home with calm and confidence that is real, practiced, and available even on messy days.

On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy talks with the amazing Lori Beth Auldridge, longtime homeschooler and host of Elevating Motherhood. They talk about the small choices that change the emotional climate of a home. Lori Beth shares how experiential learning and a slower, interest-led approach can take pressure off academics, but then they get very practical about regulation: meeting basic needs, building routines, and using Lori's “after-lunch coffee no matter what” ritual as a boundary that supports the whole family. They also connect this to interoception, helping kids learn what hunger, thirst, and fatigue feel like by hearing us name it and watching us respond calmly. 

Dr. Amy and Lori go deeper into mindset and the repeated “soundtracks” running in your head, why victim thinking and vent loops keep families stuck, and how replacing those scripts with truth can change your next action. The throughline is legacy: the kind of table you want your kids to remember, the kind of parent you are becoming, and the hard-earned wisdom you build one imperfect day at a time. This Holy Spirit-led conversation is one that all Christian moms need to hear! 
If this conversation helps you, subscribe, share it with a homeschool friend, and leave a review so more parents can find it.
ABOUT US:
The Brainy Moms is a parenting podcast hosted by cognitive psychologist Dr. Amy Moore and Sandy Zamalis. Dr. Amy and Sandy have conversations with experts in parenting, child development, education, homeschooling, psychology, mental health, and neuroscience. Listeners leave with tips and advice for helping parents and kids thrive. If you love us, add us to your playlist and follow us on social media! 
CONNECT WITH US:
Website: www.TheBrainyMoms.com
Email: BrainyMoms@gmail.com
Social Media: @TheBrainyMoms
Subscribe to our free monthly newsletter
Visit our sponsor's website: www.LearningRx.com

Wondering about homeschool freedom and flexibility? And how homeschooling might be a fit for your family? On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy talk with Cheryl Daley, author, speaker, and host of the popular Homeschool How To podcast, to trace the exact chain of events that took her from a six-figure New York State government career to building a homeschool life rooted in freedom, relationships, and real-world learning.

Cheryl shares why she treated homeschooling like a research project, interviewing more than 120 families to test assumptions about socialization, academics, and what kids “miss” when they don’t follow a standard school track. We talk about deschooling, child-led learning, and the mindset shift from checking boxes to teaching kids how to learn. If you’ve ever worried about prom, sports, or whether you’re doing “enough,” you’ll hear practical ways families create options without copying school at home.

We also dig into reading and literacy through the lens of the science of reading: why phonics fell out of favor, how balanced literacy failed too many kids, and what structured literacy gets right. Plus, we explore the trade-offs of digital textbooks, handwriting, and online learning tools, including how “smart” programs can still be gamed when a child is focused on time instead of mastery.

If you’re curious about homeschooling, curriculum overwhelm, or how to start simply with read-alouds, nature walks, and meaningful projects, this conversation will steady your next step. Even if you're a seasoned homeschooler, the conversation should resonate with you in validating ways. Subscribe, share this with a parent who’s on the fence, and leave a review so more families can find it.
ABOUT US:
The Brainy Moms is a parenting podcast hosted by cognitive psychologist Dr. Amy Moore and Sandy Zamalis. Dr. Amy and Sandy have conversations with experts in parenting, child development, education, homeschooling, psychology, mental health, and neuroscience. Listeners leave with tips and advice for helping parents and kids thrive. If you love us, add us to your playlist and follow us on social media! 
CONNECT WITH US:
Website: www.TheBrainyMoms.com
Email: BrainyMoms@gmail.com
Social Media: @TheBrainyMoms
Subscribe to our free monthly newsletter
Visit our sponsor's website: www.LearningRx.com